Over 65294 people in 13 districts affected due to inclement weather
December 23, 2019* Tri Forces and police teams in rescue and relief operations
* Over 65290 people of 19095 families affected
* Over 15510 affected people housed in 123 centers
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said yesterday that a large number of people have been affected due the adverse weather experienced during the past week.
Over 65294 people from 19095 families living in 112 Divisional Secretariate areas in 13 districts have been affected.
According to the DMC 15510 people belonging to 4704 families have been housed in 123 relief camps in safe locations.
Areas in the 13 districts in the North, East, Northwestern, Central and UVA provinces have affected by incessant rains experienced during the past few days.
Relief efforts are being carried out under the guidance of the Defence Ministry and direction of the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries.
The DMC and the Tri- Forces distributed dry ration packs among the affected families
Tri Forces and the Police continue to operate rescue and relief operations in the affected areas.
According to Army Commander Lt. Gen. Shavendra Silva, Tri Forces troops are kept on stand by to face any emergency situation.
He said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksha and Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne had issued instructions to take all necessary measures to expedite relief efforts and also to ensure the safety of the affected communities.
So far 62 houses have been completely damaged and 1463 houses have been partly damaged due to the adverse weather. Financial allocations have been made available for renovation work of these houses from the National Defence Fund.
Meanwhile, the red alert landslide warning has been issued to the Matale district, still remains due to prevailing extreme weather conditions.
Yakkala, Pallewatte, Naula, Wilgamuwa and Rattita areas in the Matale district have also been issued with landslide warnings. Similarly Udadumbara, Yatidumbara, in the Kandy district, Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya district, Bandarawela, Welimada, Hali Ela and UVA Paranagama in the Bandula district and the Ratnapura districts have also been issued with landslide warnings.
Sluice gates of the Parakrama Samudraya in the Pollonnaruwa district, Rajanganaya, Angamuwa, Nachchaduwa and Yanoya tanks in the Anuradhapura district, Tabbowa and Inginimitiya tanks in the Puttalam district, Deduruoya and Ambakolawewa tanks in the Kurunegala district, Rambukkan Oya in the Ampara district, Lunugamwehera in the Hambantota district, Unnachchi in the Batticaloa district, Kantale in the Trincomalee district and Iranamadu tank in the Kilinochchi districts have been opened and are under 24 hour observation by the Irrigation Department officials.